GB2488792A

GB2488792A - Goods dispensing machine with adjustable door system

Info

Publication number: GB2488792A
Application number: GB1103886.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roderick Leslie Mitchell; John Charles Mcfarland
Original assignee: Automated Space Ltd
Current assignee: Automated Space Ltd
Priority date: 2011-03-08
Filing date: 2011-03-08
Publication date: 2012-09-12
Also published as: GB201103886D0

Abstract

A multiple door system for a goods dispensing machine comprising individually actuated doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 permit access to sub-divided storage compartments or carriers in a goods dispensing / vending / retailing machine in which items are stored in compartments within a carousel based storage system or carriers within a carrier based storage system. Computerised control is used to co-ordinate the positions of the multiple doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the compartment or carrier 1 such that the doors are moved to expose a selected sub-compartment 2 only within the compartment or carrier 1, and block access to all the other remaining sub-compartments. A further transparent door 7 enables observation of the contents of the selected sub-compartment 2 prior to opening.

Description

Goods Dispenser I Vending Machine Access Door System to permit access to sub-divided storage compartments The invention relates to a door arrangement to provide user access to a goods dispensing / vending / retailing machine for dispensing or vending stored items, typically high value retail, pharmaceutical, or industrial goods, in a secure and accountable manner.

In a goods dispensing / vending machine based on carousel / paternoster type conveyor mechanisms, stored items are located in a train, typically an endless train, of boxes or compartments or shelved compartments fixed to a rotating drive mechanism whereby the stored items are driven to an access point located at a convenient position where the contents of the compartment can be removed.

In a goods dispensing / vending machine based on an array of statically located carriers, stored items are located on carriers which are retrieved by a transfer system to a convenient access point located at a convenient position where the contents of the compartment can be removed.

Such systems may be used to vend or retrieve items. In some applications only one item is stored in each compartment or carrier, so that when that compartment or carrier is moved to the access point only the intended item is removed. In other applications the compartment or carrier may be sub-divided with internal shelving or dividers to give multiple sub-compartments.

It may be necessary in a retail / vending environment, and advantageous in a dispensing application, that stored items are retrieved individually via the access point. A problem arises whereby the access point or access door exposes more than one sub-compartment, and it would be preferable that only the appropriate sub-compartment(s) be revealed.

To overcome this problem the present invention provides an access door system that can be automatically actuated to reveal the entire compartment or carrier or a single sub-compartment or multiple sub-compartments of a storage system, in particular a goods dispensing, retailing or vending system.

Typically such storage systems include, but are not limited to, carousel /paternoster based systems and carrier based systems.

The access door system is made from a plurality of moving doors. The doors and the compartment or carrier can be moved to allow any sub-compartment space in any compartment or carrier to be accessed whilst blocking access to the other sub-compartments.

In the invention a compartment or sub-compartment in a carousel / paternoster based system may be presented at the access point by indexing the compartment of interest in the direction of travel of the conveyor mechanism. Similarly a carrier or sub-compartment in a carrier based system may be presented at the access point by the transfer mechanism. Thus a compartment or carrier may have several stopping points to reveal different sub-compartments within the compartment or carrier.

Compartments of a carousel system or carriers of a carrier based system may be sub-divided in a plurality of common sized sub-compartments or so that there are different sizes of sub-compartment in the same compartment or carrier. All compartments or carriers may be sub-divided in the same way or they may be sub-divided into different ways. Some compartments or carriers may not be sub-divided.

The plurality of moving doors may be provided in a single plane, or in multiple adjacent planes. For example a pair of doors may reciprocate across an opening so as to provide complete closure, or to provide an access space of selected width and position. Each door may reciprocate across the full width of the opening in the direction of reciprocation. Another door or pair of doors may be provided in front of or behind the first pair and having typically, but not exclusively, orthogonal directions of reciprocation.

The moving doors may move to various positions so as to define an opening of selected size and position. The stop positions may be fixed and determined by sensors or latches or they may be infinitely variable and determined by a position feedback arrangement. Thus a compartment or carrier may be wholly revealed by full retraction of the doors, or may be partially revealed by selected movement of one or more doors. The invention permits a compartment or carrier to be sub-divided into smaller sub-compartments according to the size of items to be dispensed. This provides for better utilisation of a storage /retrieval conveyor system having successive compartments of fixed size.

The moving doors may open to reveal the entire internal space within a compartment or carrier but leave one or more edges obstructed or covered.

This allows a user to gain access to the entire compartment or carrier but not reach past the edge of the compartment or carrier or remove the compartment or carrier through it.

The compartment or carrier may contain a box-like pod, within which are placed items to be retrieved. The doors may be positioned to allow the user to gain access to the box-like pod but not remove it, or the doors may be positioned to enable the box-like pod to be removed through it. The box-like pod may be an open fronted box facing the access point. It may have features that display a particular item favourably so it may need to be replaced if the item stored changes. The box-like pod may also be replaced for the purpose of quick restocking.

The moving doors may open beyond the edges of the compartment or carrier to provide access to fully remove the entire compartment or carrier from the system for the purpose of maintenance or quick restocking.

Each door has a profile on the leading edge that moves across the access point. The profile on any door may be linear or non-linear. A linear profile may be perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of the door or may be at an angle. A non-linear profile may be for aesthetic reasons or it may be to provide increased access, for example for finger access, to a specific compartment, carrier or sub-compartment to make removal of a product easier.

The doors may be actuated by one or more mechanisms. The mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, chains, belts, linkages, racks and pinions, ropes or a lever.

The mechanisms may be activated by one or more actuators or manually.

The actuators may include, but are not limited to, electric motors, pneumatic pistons or motors or solenoids.

The actuators are preferably controlled by a control system. The control system may consist of, but is not limited to, a PC, a PLC, a microcontroller or PlC processor. Other items in the control system may include, but are not limited to, frequency inverters for AC motor control, stepper motor controllers, encoders for position and speed feedback, relays and sensors. The control system may also include a software programme that will receive instructions about which compartment or carrier and sub-compartment to access and will send instructions or signals to activate the actuators.

I

The doors can be constructed in a number of ways including, but not limited to, solid panels, multiple slats or bars placed in a row, or semi flexible material such as spring steel.

Guides may be used to control the path of movement of the doors. The paths may be linear or curved. Curved paths will enable the doors to retract around the side of the storage system to limit the dimensions of the system at the access point.

Preferably an outer door is provided. The outer door may lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the inner doors and immediately adjacent thereto. By providing a single outer door for the access point that covers the plurality of moving inner doors, it prevents the user from reaching the inner doors or the compartment of the conveyor or the transfer mechanism of the carrier array while they are moving and is thus a safety feature. This allows the inner doors or the compartments or carriers to be freely moved to their required positions to provide access to the selected compartment or carrier or sub-compartment.

Once the inner doors or compartment or carrier are in position they can be rendered immobile and the outer door can be opened. The inner doors or the compartments or carriers can be made immobile by means of a safety function such as, but not limited to, a sensor, a switch, an actuator or a mechanical interlock.

The outer door may be opened and closed by an actuated means or manually, or opened by an actuated means or manually but closed by a non actuated means such as, but not limited to, a counterbalance or spring. This reduces the risk of injury to the user from the outer door.

The outer door or inner doors can provide a security function. By providing a barrier across the access point unauthorised access is prevented. The door providing the security function can be locked by a suitable device which may be, but not limited to, a latch, a pin, a solenoid or an electromechanical mechanism to provide a higher level of security against unauthorised access.

It may be important to allow the user to confirm that the contents of the selected sub-compartment are the intended item. To enable this, the compartment, carrier or sub-compartment space may be visible through the outer door before it opens or is released to be opened. This can be done in many ways including, but not limited to, making the outer door from a clear material such as glass or including a window in the outer door.

The present invention will now be described by way of an example only of an application to a carousel based storage /retrieval system with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows storage compartment 1 sub-divided in one particular pattern into smaller sub-compartments, one of which is identified as 2. The storage compartment is typically but not exclusively 300 mm high x 300 mm wide x mm deep. A series of such compartments are provided in an endless sequence, and some compartments may be divided differently, or not at all.

Figure 2 shows four independently actuated doors 3, 4, 5 and 6, all in the fully open position.

Figure 3 shows the four doors 3, 4, 5 and 6, as shown in Figure 2 moved together to individual positions to provide a restricted aperture. The doors are in reciprocating pairs, and arranged in two immediately adjacent planes.

Either pair of doors can be brought together to close the aperture.

Figure 4 shows the four doors 3, 4, 5 and 6, closed together as in Figure 3, with the compartment 1 shown in Figure 1, in position behind them. Access is restricted to the sub-compartment 2. It will be readily understood that the doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 may also be positioned to restrict access to any other of the sub-compartments of Figure 1, or several of them.

Figure 5 shows four independently actuated doors 3, 4, 5 and 6, in the fully open position behind an outer door 7 which is shown in the fully closed position.

Figure 6 shows the four doors 3, 4, 5 and 6, moved together to individual positions to provide a restricted aperture, behind the outer door 7 which is shown in the closed position. The outer door 7 can be hinged or sliding, and have more than one leaf.

Figure 7 shows the four doors 3, 4, 5 and 6, partially closed together as shown in Figure 6, with the compartment 1 shown in Figure 1, in position behind them. Access is limited to the sub-compartment space 2. The outer door 7 is moved partially downward to reveal the compartment space 2.

Figure 8 shows an alternative arrangement where three independently actuated doors 3, 4, and 5, are in the fully open position, with a fixed edge 8, behind the outer door 7 which is shown in the closed position.

Figure 9 shows the three independently actuated doors 3, 4, and 5, shown in Figure 8, moved together to individual positions, which combined with the fixed edge 8, provide a restricted aperture. The outer door 7 is shown in the closed position.

Figure 10 shows the three independently actuated doors 3, 4, and 5, closed together as shown in Figure 9, with the compartment 1 shown in Figure 1, in position behind them. Access is restricted to the sub-compartment 2. It will be readily understood that the doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 may also be positioned to restrict access to any other of the sub-compartments of Figure 1, or several of them. The outer door 7 is shown open. This alternative arrangement has fewer moving doors, but a correspondingly simpler mechanism with reduced headroom for door reciprocation. The arrangement illustrates that the carousel conveyor may run close to one edge of the aperture of a door access system.

I

Figure 11 shows a number of compartments arranged on a carousel with access doors positioned in front of a storage compartment. The outer casing is omitted.

Figure 11 shows an embodiment of the invention with four moveable doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 and one outer door 7. The doors are located in front of a carousel 9 of moveable compartments 1. Doors 3 and 4 are guided so that they move perpendicular to the direction of movement of the compartments 1 located on the carousel 9. Doors 5 and 6 are guided so that they move parallel to the movement of the compartment 1 located on the carousel 9.

The four moveable doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 are controlled by electric motors. The outer door 7 is opened by an electric motor and closed by a counterweight.

The carousel 9 is controlled by an electric motor. The position of each element is co-ordinated and controlled by a computerised control system to ensure that each compartment stops at the opening as required, and that the inner doors open to reveal the compartment or sub-compartment of interest.

When the outer door 7 is closed the safety function for the machine will enable the four moveable doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 to be moved. The safety function will detect when the outer door 7 is opened and will prevent the four moveable doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 from being moved, rendering the access point safe for the user to reach into. Any appropriate interlock mechanism may be used.

The outer door 7 is made from a transparent material. This will enable the user to visually check that the item located in the exposed sub-compartment 2 is the required item. The user can confirm to the computerised control system that the item located in the exposed sub-compartment is the required item.

Once this confirmation is received the computerised control will open the outer door 7 so the user can remove the item. This avoids erroneous or unwanted items being dispensed.

Figure 12 shows the arrangement shown in Figure 11 but with the outer casing lOin place.

In Figure 12 the moveable doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the outer door 7 can be seen through the access point 11. The moveable doors 3, 4, 5 and 6 are positioned to expose the selected sub-compartment 2. The outer door 7 is shown open. The selected sub-compartment 2 is the only sub-compartment that can be accessed.

Figure 13 shows the carousel 9 with the access door system comprising doors 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in a different orientation.

Figure 14 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention for a vertically moving carousel where one door is constructed from a chain of slats 12 that are guided round a curved track by an upper guide 13 and a lower guide 14.

The curved track guides the slats around the side of the carousel. The other doors are similar to previous examples with door 4 opposing the slated door 12 and door 5 working in an orthogonal direction to the chain of slats 12 and door 4. The outer door 7 is shown closed.

Figure 15 shows top view of the door system shown in Figure 14. The upper guide 1 3 is shown guiding the chain of slats 12 around the corner.

Figure 16 shows the independently actuated doors 4 and 5 and the chain of slats 1 2 closed together with the compartment 1 shown in Figure 1, in position behind them. Access is restricted to the sub-compartment 2. It will be readily understood that the doors 4 and 5 and the chain of slats 12 may also be positioned to restrict access to any other of the sub-compartments of Figure 1, or several of them. The outer door 7 is shown open. This arrangement allows the outer case of a machine to be located much closer to the carousel so the unit will occupy a smaller foot print.

Figure 17 shows an alternative arrangement where three independently actuated doors 3, 4, and 5, are in the fully open position, with a fixed edge 8, behind the outer door 7 which is shown in the closed position. Doors 3 and 4 have a non-linear profiled edge with cut-outs 15. Door 5 is has a linear profiled edge.

Figure 18 shows the three independently actuated doors 3, 4, and 5, shown in Figure 8, moved together to individual positions, which combined with the fixed edge 8, provide a restricted aperture. The outer door 7 is shown in the closed position.

Figure 19 shows the three independently actuated doors 3, 4, and 5, closed together as shown in Figure 1 8, with the compartment 1 shown in Figure 1, in position behind them. Access is restricted to the sub-compartment 2. The cut-outs 15 provide additional access to remove the product from the sub-compartment 2. The outer door 7 is shown open.

Claims

Claims 1. An access door system for a carousel based or carrier based goods vending I retailing / dispensing system comprising multiple individually actuated inner doors, acting in concert with each other and the movement of the compartment or carrier in order to selectively reveal a compartment or carrier or sub-compartment of a compartment or carrier, said inner doors operating behind an outer closure which allows access to a stored item located within the revealed compartment, carrier or sub-compartment.
2. An access door system according to claim 1, in which the inner doors are individually actuated by electric motor.
3. An access door system according to claim 1, in which the profile of the leading edge of the inner doors can include a non-linear profile to provide improved access to remove a product.
4. An access door system according to claim I or claim 2, in which one or more of the inner doors follows a curved path.
5. An access door system according to any preceding claim, in which the outer door is opened by an actuated means and closed by a non actuated means.
6. An access door system according to any preceding claim, in which one or more of the doors and outer door is lockable to provide enhance security against unauthorised access.
7. An access door system according to any preceding claim, in which the outer door is transparent to allow confirmation of the contents of the compartment or sub-compartment prior to access.
8. An access door system according to any preceding claim, in which the outer door is independently actuated by the user.
9. An access door system according to any preceding claim, wherein the inner doors comprise a first pair of reciprocating leaves.
10. An access door system according to claim 9, and further including a second reciprocating door or pair of reciprocating door leaves movable orthogonally to said first pair.
11. An access door system according to claim 10, wherein said first and second pair of leaves are reciprocal in immediately adjacent planes.
12. A carousel conveyor having an endless sequence of compartments, and an access door system according to any of claims 1-11.
13. A carrier based system with multiple statically located carriers, transfer system and an access door system according to any of claims 1-11.